'95 Eurovan Camper - Introduction

[white74westy]

Greetings!

I hope that everyone is keeping well. I just picked up a 1995 Eurovan Camper.

Bringing her home last night:

Here's what she looked like in the morning:

It has been a very long, hot, day. While she was still on the tow dolly, I took her over to get a new battery. First stop didn't have the correct size. I loaded up and went to the local car wash. I spent a couple of hours pressure washing all the grime and dirt off. Once that was done, I managed to locate the correct battery at a different store. Popped that in and unloaded.

Tucked away in her new spot:

I think she cleaned up fairly well:

I'm really stoked to dive into this project. So many cool things on these rigs. I have a lot to learn! I am not at all familiar with the platform. I have been working on a '74 Westy for a very long time.

If you're so inclined: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=692909&highlight=

I probably need this project like a hole in the head.

However, I couldn't resist. My friend owned the van for the last 16 years. Over the years, whenever I would visit (once a week for work) I would often notice the van. He and I would strike up conversations about VW's in general, camping, kayaking, etc. He would regularly ask how I was progressing with my project, and we would trade stories about the old T-2 platforms he used to drive. About a year and a half ago, I noticed that the van stopped showing up. I asked what was going on. "Not really sure." My friend told me that there were several things going on. In particular there seemed to be some trouble shifting. He stated that he felt as if the transmission was "slipping" once he got to about 20 mph. Didn't think much about it. Unexpectedly, last week, he mentioned that he was considering getting rid of it. His wife had enough of the eyesore, sitting in the driveway. At first, I thought he was kidding! So, half jokingly, I asked him if he would let me have first dibs. I didn't want him to feel pressured, so I asked him to think about it and let me know if he really wanted to part ways with the old girl. Here we are.

With all that behind me, I wonder if I might ask for advice and counsel as things progress?

I know I need tires. I have read a great deal of the threads that are related to the topic. Still not entirely sure which direction I'm going. I have 16" rims, so there are more options available to me.

Is there a repair manual that everyone recommends? What should I do first? Where do I start?

What is the favored option of connecting to the machine/computer to see what's going on and to retrieve codes etc.?

Is there a comprehensive list of chemicals that are favored over others? I know that in many of the other forums, asking such questions can be akin to speaking about politics or religion in public. I'm not trying to start any trouble, but rather asking out of ignorance.

What questions haven't I asked that I should have? Please feel free to chime in and help educate me.

As I mentioned earlier, I have a fair amount of experience with VW's. However, the majority of it is air cooled. It has been many decades since I last messed with a VW water pumper. Early 90's I had a '79 Scirocco...man I loved that car. Should never have let her get away! Couple of others along the way.

I drove her briefly this afternoon, around the neighborhood. I didn't want to stray too far, as I'm yet to insure and register her. I never really got above 25mph. The coolant light blinks steadily, as soon as you turn the ignition on. I waited for the engine to warm up and heard the fan kick on, intermittantly. She seems a little sluggish, but I have no reference.

I guess that's a good place to start.

Once again, many thanks in advance. I look forward to hearing what everyone has to say!

a.

[snowsyncro]

That cleans up pretty good. That looks like a long wheelbase van so that is the Winnebago conversion? Or do I have that backwards. Not that familiar with the campers.

I can answer some of your questions at least...

Tires -- in the end it comes down to personal preference, but as you noted lots of info here and elsewhere already.

Repair Manual -- Bentley, it is a two-volume set for the Eurovan. Let me know if you need specifics to get started.

Engine Codes -- Ross-Tech VCDS. Earlier years were pre-OBDII and needed a special cable adaptor to a split two-piece connector, but if I recall correctly '95 should be OBDII and use the regular cable. Ross-Tech site has all the info you need.

Chemicals -- can't help you there I don't think but for cleaning I tend to used Simple Green for everything.

Have Fun!

RonC

[Joshwa]

95 is OBD1.
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93 Weekender TDI conversion (AHU)
93 MV TDI conversion (1Z)
Weekender rear cot
Late model cabin air filter on 93
Euro spec bumper install on 93

[IdeaNerd]

Looks great! Congrats on the purchase, and welcome to this neck of The Samba! I'm looking forward to your project progress posts.

@snowsyncro already chimed in w/most of the input I would have given on manuals and engine codes. Some folks here also like ALLDATA subscriptions for repair manual info. I'm not sure how far back those go year-wise, but might be worth looking into.

Chemicals: what kind in particular are you wondering about?

[Abscate]

Just checked all data and they do carry the 1995 T4 with two engine options in their database

You can buy 5 years for the price of 2, it just takes th commitment
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.ssS!

[white74westy]

[white74westy]

[white74westy]

[white74westy]

[Broseph Stalin]

The extra 16" with the LWB camper I've found it to be beneficial. More cargo volume plus easier to have a party inside since the rear bench is 16" further back from the front swivels. Opens up nicely.

The '95 has a tight turning circle, my '03 no, probably four foot more and I don't know why that is.

With the EVC the low point is the LP tank skidplate. Eurovan is easily lifted but the most I've got at the LP tank skid is 10 inches. That's actually pretty good, but still the low point.
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'68 Bus in West Germany, 1977-1979
'67 Riviera poptop conversion in the US, 1984-1990
'95 EVC Winnie, 2018, Sold
'03 EVC Winnie, 2018, Sold

[volkybus]

Well congrats(I hope). U have a nice looking van.
The transmission is a bear in these beasts for sure. Lots of folks go for the swap to a stick when the auto fails about $2,000 + lots of work..and please be very careful with the electrical... very touchy
If it ain't broke don't fix it
Read up on it... But remember that van is 25 years old so even though lots of be people will say it's too new and won't work on it it's a senior citizen..It can be registered as a antique..Good luck. Bill in Puerto Rico till the crisis is over..

[volkybus]

Also 95 is ob1 I think...at least it is in my Jetta and my golf conv both 95's Do u have the early engine or the late one? They are both 5 cylinders but the later one has more horsepower and a intruder engine..plus you need hightest gas(91oct).llf you have the intruder engine U need to make sure the timing belt is tight...if it breaks it's hell to pay...a massive crash between the pistons and the valves,, hundreds of $$. It will definitely ruin your hole day.
.
...well off for my bike ride. Bill in Puerto Rico till the crisis is over

[IdeaNerd]

[white74westy]

[white74westy]

[volkybus]

It was fun but I don't want to scare you but it's better you know..also with the weight of these things you need c rated tires...You can get away with car tires on the front of your bay but because of the tire p ressure 49 psi you 'll ruin car tires...Good luck on both vans !! I also have a bay on the road in VT.plus a parts 74..the magic Bus..I name all my vans now .my Eurovan is called The Black n Blue Bomb..Well off to drive my Eurovan to ride my bike... Bill I hope u finish it bay soon... nothing like a Bay..my favorite. Of the 15 I've owned since 1967..

[white74westy]

Alright, just a quick update. I've got tires on order. They should be here in a couple of days. I decided to go with the Nokian Entyre 2.0 225/60r16 102H. I ordered them through discount tire. They were good enough to match Walmart's pricing. They are about $105 installed, tax, tag and title. Initially I wanted to get some "rugged looking" off-road tires. However, I'm really not sure how much off roading I'm truly going to do in this beast. I also didn't want to sacrifice ride quality etc. I recognize that these things are a matter of opinion. I feel as if this is what will best suit my needs for the vehicle. I suppose time will tell.

In the interim, I've managed to get some cleaning done. I started working on some of the interior panels and rear cushions:

Tough to tell from the before photo, but this was fairly grimy:

I like to use Krud Kutter to do the initial cleaning on things like this. Here's the after with a quick Meguiar's wipe down:

Again, I recognize that the lighting is pretty poor, but I promise the cushion brightened up considerably!

Driver's side door panel. I'm glad I got this shot. I was just about to start scrubbing, when I remembered to take the photo. Pretty gnarly!:

I think it cleaned up pretty nicely!:

As I stated above, I like to use Krud Kutter. I normally spot-test an inconspicous area. Once I'm satisfied, I'll start scrubbing. In this case, most of the plastic trim is already discoloured. I'm not really sure if it is a byproduct of neglect or poor quality materials, or perhaps a combination of the two? Either way, I was certain that I couldn't make things any worse, so I proceeded to scrub away. I like to use old 3M scrubbing pads, you know the kind that has the yellow sponge on one side, and the green brillo on the other. I'll wait 'till they're just about dead and save them for jobs just like this, so they're not overly agressive, but good enough to attack the grease and dirt atop the surface. It seems to have worked fairly well for the time being.

On another note, I have a question about water intrusion. We had a really heavy squall blow through last night. The interior of the van stinks. The floor boards in the cab are wet. Before I start digging too deeply, I wanted to ask if anyone else had any experience with this? I have tried to do a little research and read about the possibility that there might have been some QC issues with the Winnebago conversions, specific to the luggage rack. Am I headed in the right direction? Also, the windshield surround is crusty!!! I'm frightened to open up that can of worms! I've already been down that path with the bus, and I recognize just how much work it might be. Does anyone have any experience and or advice on how to proceed?

On a final note, my big question for the night relates to the transmission. Last night when I was cleaning things up, I had the stereo playing. I figured that I would leave the van running while I did, since I had just bought the battery and it would give it a chance to charge, as well as allow me to listen to the engine, so that I could become familiar with sounds and patterns. Everything seemed to be fine. It took quite some time for the engine to warm up, but once it did, the fan would kick on from time to time and all was seemingly well. As I mentioned at the beginning of the thread, the engine temp warning lamp blinks as soon you turn the ignition key. The weather started to become inclement and it was getting late. I finished up, buttoned things up and went to put her back in her spot. I put her in reverse....nothing. I put her in Drive...nothing. Put her in neutral and pushed her back in her space. After a restless, somewhat sleepless night, spent agonizing over all sorts of details on not one, but two VW's I went out to the van first thing this morning. I fired her up and tried the gear selector. Put her in reverse and everything was right in the universe. I tried drive and she did as asked. So my question is, what correlation does engine temperature have to the functionality of the transmission? Please bear in mind that I have not recieved my Bentley manual yet. I have read a couple of threads about the transmissions specific to the '95 EVC. I've even watched a couple of videos on YouTube. Eventually I will drop the pan, drain the fluid, check and change the filter, add an external cooler and put new fluid in there. Is it possible this is just a fluid level issue? What things should I look for/do?

As always, thanks in advance for any and all help! I hope to be able to get this thing running at optimum some day soon!

[Abscate]

Very likely just a fluid level issue

If you are flatlanding it leave off all the hoses and fail points of an external cooler. Stock is fine with regular ATF changes of 30,000 miles

I tow 3x yearly and change at 50,000 miles
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.ssS!

[Broseph Stalin]

[Broseph Stalin]